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West Bold
Fort (Prehistoric), House Platform (Prehistoric)(Possible)
Site Name West Bold
Classification Fort (Prehistoric), House Platform (Prehistoric)(Possible)
Alternative Name(s) Bold Rig
Canmore ID 53108
Site Number NT33NE 18
NGR NT 3640 3590
Datum OSGB36 - NGR
Permalink http://canmore.org.uk/site/53108
- Council Scottish Borders, The
- Parish Traquair
- Former Region Borders
- Former District Tweeddale
- Former County Peebles-shire
NT33NE 18 3640 3590.
(NT 3640 3590) Fort (NR) (Site of)
OS 6" map (1964)
This fort is situated on a rocky knoll which forms the northern end of the Bold Rig. The site is easily approached from the S along the level spine of the spur, but it is flanked on the E and the N by long steep slopes and on the W by a precipitous drop of over 200 ft.
The fort is D-shaped on plan, measuring about 220ft by about 140 ft. The chord is formed by the crest of the descent to the W and the arc by the remains of two ramparts which have been reduced by stone-robbing, quarrying and cultivation to intermittent scarps no more than 3ft.6in in maximum height. The entrance is in the NE. The interior, much disturbed by quarrying and covered with heather, contains a shallow semicircular scoop at the S end, measuring 20ft across, which probably represents a house-platform.
RCAHMS 1967, visited 1961
Although a fort undoubtedly existed here there are no longer any surveyable remains. (Visible on RAF AP's 1069/Scot/UK 18: 7151-2)
Visited by OS (WDJ) 5 July 1961 and (JP) 20 September 1974.
Note (21 October 2015 - 18 May 2016)
This fort occupies a rocky hillock on the spur that projects northwards from Bold Rig, between the Plora Burn on the E and the Bold Burn on the E. The escarpment on the W is particularly steep, falling away sharply over 60m, and there are no defences visible along its lip, but elsewhere traces of an inner rampart all but removed by stone-robbing can be traced around the margins of the summit, and on the NE and S there are also fragments of an outer rampart. The interior is roughly D-shaped, measuring about 67m from NNW to SSE along the chord formed by the escarpment, by 42m transversely (0.21ha), and apart from a series of later quarry pits contains a single house platform at its S end. The entrance is probably on the NE.
Information from An Atlas of Hillforts of Great Britain and Ireland – 18 May 2016. Atlas of Hillforts SC3677
Sbc Note (21 March 2016)
Visibility: This was the site of an archaeological monument, which may no longer be visible.
Information from Scottish Borders Council
Previously also listed under duplicate site NT96SW 510 -CANCELLED. HES (LCK) 11.6.2024
